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Staffers at Taylor Devices in North Tonawanda have been closely monitoring the earthquake situation in Japan to see how well their products are protecting various buildings in Tokyo and elsewhere.

The company makes seismic dampers which are like gigantic shock absorbers to actually absorb the energy of a quake and its aftershocks. That energy can basically shake apart the steel frame of the building and cause serious damage if it is not protected.

Their devices have been installed in buildings like office towers and hospitals. They expect to do some follow up in the future to see if any repairs are required.

Taylor says they did check with their Japanese representative in Tokyo. He and his assistants are said to be okay but stuck at their office because streets are closed and trains are not running.

The stock share price for Taylor Devices actually went up by 30 percent at one point today. Company president Douglas Taylor says cataclysmic events like this quake generate investor interest in the firm because so much of their business is tied to earthquake protection.

Sales Manager Bob Schneider says they have a backlog of orders with much of that work in Asia. He says the firm is expanding its workforce of 100 people with the hiring of machinists, engineers, office staffers and others.